Millions of people enrolled on health insurance exchanges created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act are missing out on subsidies available to help them cover the cost of their plans.

An analysis by Avalere, a health care consulting firm, found that 2.2 million exchange enrollees are not receiving cost-sharing reductions (CSRs) despite having incomes that qualify them for the subsidy. That amounts to 27 percent of the 8.1 million enrollees whose income falls between 100 percent and 250 percent of the federal poverty level and who are thus eligible for CSRs. Those with higher incomes are often eligible for tax credits to help them finance their coverage.

People are missing out on CSRs because they signed up for plans that don't qualify for the subsidies. CSRs are directed to those who enroll in sliver level plans, while many of those who are forgoing CSRs are likely enrolling in low-premium bronze level plans.

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